Machine for printing and embossing checks.



Patented June 24, I902.

H. CDTTRILL. MACHINE FDR PRINTING AND EMBOSSING CHECKS.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1901.)

8 Sheets- 3M I.

(No Model.)

No. 703,335. Pat nted June 24, I902.

' r. H. COTTRILL.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING AND EMBDSSING CHECKS;

(Application filed. Dec. 7, 1901;)

(lo Nodal.) s $heotsShaet 2,

1' z NORRXS PErERsp o Pnmauma, WASHINGTON, u.

Patented June 24, I902. F. H. COTTRILL. MACHINE FDR PRINTING ANDEMBOSSING CHECKS.

a Sheets-$heet a.

(Appiicationflled Dec. 17. 1901.)

(Ito Mocfeii) m: uonms' vtrqns co. Ware-unisvv wuwuumh. n, c.

8 Sheets-8heet 4.

Pat ented June 24, I902.

(In llodel.)

. We I @Wotwdg 'No. 703,335. Patented June 24, I902.

. F. H. CDTTRILL.

MACHINE FOB PRINTING AND EMBUSSING CHECKS.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1901) (No Model.)

8 Sheets-Sheet 5.

, Patented June 24, I902. F. H. COTTBILL. MACHINE FOB PRINTING ANDEMBDSSING cHEcKs.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1901.)

8 Shasta-Sheat 7.

(No Model.)

XFEQE V 8 n u l. d e n B .I a P.

F 3 3 3 D 7 D N MACHINE FOR PRINTING AND EMBOSSING CHECKS.

(Application filed Dec. 17, 1901.)

8 Sheets-Sheet 8.

(Np Model.)

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK II. COTTRILL, OF MILWVAUKEE, VISCONSIN.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING AND EMBOSSING CHECKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 703,335, dated June24, 1902.

Application filed December 1'7, 190].- Serial No. 86,192. (No model.)

To (6Z7; whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. COTTRILL, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented aMachine for Printing and Embossing Checks; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide a machine which is capable ofprinting and embossing the desired amount upon a blank check or draftwith a greater speed than can be obtained by the methods now inuse,'said amount being printed in characters simultaneously with theamount in figures ata predetermined position, together with the dateandalso the name of payer, if so desired ;,and

it consists in certain peculiarities of con accompanying drawings andsubsequently claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a transverse section of the machine,indicated by line 1 l of Figs. 2 and 7. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionthrough the same, indicated by line 2 2 of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 3 is aplan view, with the upper part of the machine-casing cut away and partsin section, as indicated on lines 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 4. Fig. 4 is across-section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of thecheck-carrier frame, with portions broken away and in section to betterillustrate the parts. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section on line 6 6of Fig. 2 of a portion of one of the type-holders and the type-pusher,and Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same on line 7 7 of thepreceding figure. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a series of the blocksof type, and Fig. 9 illustratesacheck having printed thereon the amountcovering the greatest space required in my present machine. Fig. 10 is aperspective view of the blank strip for filling out the line when asmall amount is to be printed, and Fig. 11 is a detail perspective Viewof the shifting device for the type-holders. Fig. 12 is a perspectiveview illustrating the mechanism for bringing the word I-Iundred orThousand to the printing-line when required. Fig. 13 is another detailcrosssection showing the mechanism for recovering the typo-holder, andFig 14 is a perspective view of the entire machine, and Fig. 15isadiagrammatic viewillustratingthemethod of operating the holders.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A is the base, and B B the sidestandards, of my machine, and O thecasing. A shaft D has its bearings inthe side frame B and a bracket E. Loosely mounted on said shaft are aseries of holders F, which have slotted openings G equidistant apart forthe reception of a series of type-blocks H. These type-blocks, eight toten in number, cover a distance of ap proximately one-half the diameterof the holders, there being ten or eleven type-slots and eight or tentype. The empty slot G is normally at the printing-line at the loweredge of the wheel and is held in this position by a lug I of a bolt 1,fitting into a recess 19 in the upper part of the Wheel F (it beingunderstood that all the wheels in the series are similarly constructed)against the resistance of a spring-drum J, loose on a shaft J, which isconnected to the aforesaid disk by a flexible cord K, running over theperiphery of the former on the opposite side thereof from that occupiedby the type-blocks, the cord being secured to the holder at a point nearthe empty slot G, and upon this side of the holder is cut a series ofsteps L, spiral in form, from the periphery to the center, this side ofthe holder being reduced in width, as best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.The bolts 1 are slotted for the reception of stay-rods M M, which guidethe latter, and a series of thimbles M are interposed between said boltsto space the same at a proper distance apart. Secured to the severalbolts are a corresponding series of levers N, which, as shown, arepivoted upon a shaft N by means of a series of tubes N secured to theformer and telescoping each other. The levers are held in their normalposition by springs O, a series of spring-controlled pins P havingbearings in a plate P and casing C and projecting above the latter andterminating with a series of keys to be manipulated by the operator.These pins are directly over the levers N, arranged in columns of nine,and are marked to correspond with the characters on the typeblocks theycontrol through their respective levers, and by reason of the distancebetween the lever N and the bottom of said pins varying, while themovement of each is the same, each will press the lever N down whenoperated upon a varying degree, as, for example, if it was desired touse the type character marked Three the key correspondingly marked wouldbe pressed down and would oppose the lever N (for illustration) threespaces before it had reached the limit of its movement, consequentlymoving the latter down three spaces, together with the bolt to which itwas attached, thereby causing the lug I to be withdrawn from itslocking-recess. The wheel-holder would then be free to revolve until itsstep marked Three (which corresponds to the aforesaid type-block in itsposition upon the holder) contacts with the lug which is now in the pathof its travel, and would arrest the holder at its printing-point and inline with the series of slotted openings G in the holders, which arestill in their normal position. This operation may be repeated until allthe desired holders are at the printing point or discharge-line, and, asis readily understood, the type are now in a position to be shovedforward through the line of open slots in the various holders which havenot been disturbed into a type-bed Q, which is slotted to correspondwith the typeblocks and is rigidly supported between the bracketsE and Eand, as shown,is made in one piece with the latter. In order todischarge these type into the type-bed, I provide a sliding pusher Q,which moves forward upon a track R and a parallel guide-rod B, saidpusher being reduced so as to form a finger S, that projects upward inthe path of the open type-slots G, and when moved forward opposes andcarries with it the first type of the series which may be in its path,thereby carrying with it all of the preceding type-blocks anddischarging the latter into the type-bed, leaving the first one of theseries at the common printing-point free of the holders. A carriage T,having guide-rollers T secured to the under side thereof and projectinginto slots T in the brackets E and E, is located directly beneath thetype-bed and adapted to be reciprocated horizontally by means of aspring-controlled handle U, which is pivoted upon the shaft of the frontrollers of said carriage and has arms V projecting forward beneath theframe, said arms being connected by parallel printing-strips V V V inline with the type above. These strips are capped with any softmaterial, such as rubber, for the purpose of embossing, the carriagebeing provided with slots through which the strips may be forced upwardwhen the handle U is pushed down, thereby making an impression upon theface of the check, which is between said carriage and type-blocks, theimpression being slightly impressed from the above or embossed.

For the purpose of securing the check to the carriage the latter iswithdrawn from beneath the printing-point and the check inserted upon arectangular frame W, said pins or by means of a spring 6, connectedthereto and the carriage T. The frame at either end is slightly raisedto form a beadf for the purpose-of guiding the check when placed inposition, the beads having a short right-angle turn at the back, againstwhich the check abuts when it is inserted, and at the front of saidframe and integral with the beads ff are a pair of springs g g, pressingdownward upon the frame W and curled up at their front ends, where theyare connected together by a rod h. These springs are lifted up by meansof the rod, and the check is inserted between them and pushed back untilit comes against the right-angle portion of the aforesaid beads,when thesprings are released, thereby clamping the check firmly with the frameW.

In order that the machine may automat ically print the figures upon thecheck, as well as printing out the amount in characters, so as to forman absolute check against any possibility of changing the amount uponits face, I provide another series of holders Fat the opposite orright-hand end of the machine of the same diameter and on the samehorizontal plane as the type-holders, but slightly off the verticalcenter of the latter, so that their printing-point will come at theproper place upon the face of the check above the line of the printedcharacters and at the right-hand corner of the check. These holders havethe figures O to 9 permanently secured or raised upon their peripherythrough a distance of approximately about one-half their diameter, thefigure 1 being one space from the printing-point when the machine is atrest, the space L being similar to that of the type-holders upon theopposite side from,

the printed characters and corresponding therewith. This half of theholder, however, in order that the proper space for the operation of thebolts 1 may be attained and also to prevent crossing actuating-lever, isoffset from the figure portion thereof, but connected thereto by aseries of tubes b telescoping each other and revoluble upon a shaft X,which has its hearings in the right-hand standard B and bracket E of themachine, it being necessary for proper spacing purposes that the figuresupon the several holders aforesaid are equally spaced apart. The bolts 1are permanently attached to a series of levers N which are secured tothe telescoped tubes N Thus it may be seen that each tube has two leversforming a part thereof, and when a lever N at the left-hand end of themachine is pressed down it will also carry down its corresponding leverN thereby releasing the holder controlled by its bolt simultaneouslywith the release of its corresponding type-holder, thus bringing to theprinting-point simultaneously the characterprinting and thenumber-printing types. The number or figure holders are revolved whenreleased by a flexible cord K, secured to a spring-drum J loose upon ashaft J the spring being fast to the shaft at one end and connected atits outer end to the drum J The cord K is passed from the drum over aloose pulley J in front of the bolts I and thence down and back over theperiphery of the stepped portion of the holders, thus reversing thedirection of travel of the holder F from that of the type-block holdersF, the object of which will be set forth more particularly hereinafter.

WVhen an amount is to be printed of any denomination less than thatillustrated in the check shown by Fig. 9 of the drawings-as, forinstance, to print seven dollars and seventy-seven cents-it wouldrequire only the last three figure-holders, they being cents anddollars, to print the amount, and as the dollar-mark upon the check isso arranged that it would normally be directly in front of the fullamount (the machine being shown to print in eight figures) there wouldbe a blank space equal to the four figures not used between the 7.77 andthe dollar-mark. This would be objectionable for the reason that thecheck could be raised, and it also would not be desirable for thoseskilled in the art, who expect the amount to appear directly to the rearof the dollar-sign. To avoid this, I provide a series of perforations zin the first five holders F, which are in register when the machine isat rest, and fastened to the base of the machine is a sliding bar Y,which has a foot that is secured by screws 3, passing through a slot 75to permit of forward motion. The bar is turned upward at Y from its footand contacts with the left-hand side of the check-frame W and passesover the latter and terminates directly in front of the firstfigureholder concentric with the registered perforations 2', there beinga spring Z to normally hold said bar Y in this position. Now if thethree type-blocks seven be pushed into the type-bed Q (the check-frameand carriage having been drawn out of the machine for the insertion ofthe check) the pusher Q will then be moved forward until thebridge-piece Q of the latter contacts with the turned-up portion Y ofthe bar Y, and as only the last three figured holders F have been movedto get the aforesaid amount the registered openings 'i in the precedingholders have not been disturbed,and consequently the push-rod will forcethe bar Y into the holders through the entire line of perforations andabut the wall of the first solid holder, carrying with it thecheck-frame, which is at all times in contact with the upright portion Yof said bar. By

this operation when the check is placed in the frame, the bar Y havingbeen moved forward five spaces or the thickness of the first fiveholders F, it will be seen that when the check is pushed under thetype-bed to be printed the dollar-mark will come directly in front ofthe desired amount. The push-rod Q is held in this position by a toothm, locking into a spring a, which is corrugated to correspond to thenumber ofspaces desired to move the check-frame, said spring being ofjust sufficient strength to resist the retracting-spring t" of the bar Yand spring a of the check-frame, but will yield and disengage thepush-rod when the latter is shoved back by hand. It is obvious that whenthe type are once in place that anumber of checksas, for instance, forpay-rolls where the amounts are the same-can now be printed as fast asthey can be inserted upon the frame, the only motion being to withdrawthe carriage, insert a check, push the former back, and press the handledown, the type being inked each time by the ink-roller Z, which issecured to the carriage. As illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, thefirst holder has been moved and the push-rod is checked against furthermovement forward by the bar Y, so that the full amount or capacity ofthe machine as here shown is to be printed-as, for instance,$900,000,00.

When only a small number of the typeblocks are pushed into the frame, itis necessary to fill out the space between the last block and the wordDollars at the end of the line, and for this purpose I provide a thinmetal strip (see Fig. 10) p, the inner end of which has an upwardextension or block g, which conforms to the lower portion of thetypeslot in the bed Q, whereinit is fitted and adapted to be slid. Atthe outer end is a lug r, to which is secured a cord 8, that passes overa spring-drum t, revoluble upon a trunnion that is hung in ears u,projecting from the bracket E, secured to an opening. In the sidestandard B is a tube or guard in which the stripp rests when pushed outby the type block against the resistance of the spring drum Z, saidstrip being of the same horizontal plane as the face of the type, andconsequently when the printing-strip V is forced up against the type itwill print the latter on the face of the check, together with the lengthof the strip 19 that has not been forced out of the type-bed by thetype-blocks, and when the latter are withdrawn from the former, thespring-drum will exert its force to draw the strip 19 back into theprinting-bed, throughout its entire length, it being understood, thelatter is open at both ends, at the front or lefthand end for thereception of the type-blocks ll, when discharged from the holders F, andthe left-hand end for the free reciprocation of the strip 19.

The rubber capping upon the several printing-strips V V V is of the samelength as the maximum length to be printed upon a check. Consequently ifonly two or three ures were printed and as allthe figured holdersnormally stand at zero even though the check was moved so as to printdirectly behind the dollar-mark when the impression was made, all of theholders ahead of the amount printed would be exposed to theprinting-strip V and in order to prevent them from making an impressionupon the check a thin metal guard to is secured to the bar Y in linewith the printing-point of the holders F and just below the type thereofand normally resting beyond the face of the first holder, so that whenthe bar Y moves into the holders it carries the guard to with it andprotects the type which are not in use from the printing-strip.

In banking-houses it is a custom to keep stencils of the names ofcommercial houses which do a large volume of business with them, asfrequently they will require a number of drafts to their order at atime, and in these instances the name is stenciled upon the check tofacilitate speed. For this purpose the bed Q has a slot Q for thereception of an interchangeable die a the slot being of greater lengththan the die and reduced at its underside to form a shoulder 1 uponwhich the die rests,the type of which projects downward to a commonplane with the type previously described. Buttons .2 a, pivoted to theupper face of the bed-plate, lock the die into the latter, and a springa is secured to a bracket E, the other end being provided with an eyeletb, which is slipped over a pin 0 and holds the die against the left-handend of the slot. Another die d, parallel with the aforesaid andsimilarly arranged, is provided for the date, the spring 0, of which isin this instance attached to a pin 6, projecting from the type-bed Q. Apair of thin metal cams f g project from the edges of the movablecheck-frame and abut the left-hand ends of the dies at d when the latterare in their normal position; but if the check is moved back of bar Y,as previously described, the frame W when pushed into the machine willcause the faces of the cams f g to move both dies the same distance asthe frame has been moved previously, thereby printing the name and dateof check always at the same position upon the latter.

After a check or a number of checks have been printed, to recover themachine to normal the operator first draws back the pushrod Q,-thefinger S of which is resting in the type-slot, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2, and at the upper end is secured a springcatch it, and as theupper portion of the typeslot in the bed Q is open at this point thecatch is .free and the spring resistance of the latter is exerted tolift it 5 but the instant it is withdrawn the closed bridge 7 of the bedQ forces the catch down to engage a notch j in a type-block carrier Aand pulls it through the holders F, carrying the type-blocks with it,said carrier being stepped equidistant in a downward direction from itsnotched end j to correspond to the number and width of the aforesaidholders and type-blocks, with the exception of the cents-holder, ofwhich there are two. In this instance it is only necessary to have onestep for both, as in all cases the extreme end of the carrier A willabut the end of these blocks if they were in the typebed. The type-slotsG of the holder F at their bottom are slightly reduced and extend abovethe type-blocks to form a groove through which the carrier A passes,which is of just sufficient width to fill said groove, thereby holdingthe catch it in clutch with the aforesaid carrier until it reaches theinner face of the last holder. The groove 70 at this point deepenssuddenly and allows the spring-catch h to rise and disengage thecarrier, which is withdrawn from the holder by a cord Z, attached to theformer, and a spring-drum B, that is wound up when said carrier is drawninto the holders, the spring-drum being of the same type as thatpreviously described and is revoluble upon a stud mounted in ears risingfrom the type-bed at either side of the type-block slot therein. Thecarrier A is provided with a slight groove at its top, into which thecord Z rests. The push-rod after releasing the carrier continues itsbacking movement until it abuts a lug m upon its guide-rail R, bringingthe catch it free of the holder, and as all of the type-blocks have nowbeen restored to the holders and slots therein from which they werepreviously removed the next operation is to revolve them to their normalposition and bring their empty slots G back in line with the type-bed Q.This is accomplished by placing the thumb upon a lever 0 (beforeremoving the hand from the push-rod) and revolving it downward. Thislever is secured to the shaft D, upon which the holders turn, and has aseries of lugs 11 projecting therefrom on the same axial line, therebeing one for each holder, and adapted to oscillate in circular recesseso in the hubs thereof. The latter are each provided with a tooth p,projecting in the path of the lugs n, and when all the disks are atnormal the teeth 1) are in line with each other a distance of half thecircumference of the recesses from the lugs 01, and the lever is heldagainst a pin g by a light coil-spring g but if any of the holders havebeen used their respective teeth will be at various distances from thelugs n of the shaft D. Consequently when the latter is rotated by itslever 0 its lugs will pick up the teeth in their'order and carry them,together with the holders, back to their position of rest, therebywinding their springdrums J and causing the lugs I of bolts 1 to dropinto their locking-notches, and in order that the operator may check theamount he desires to print I provide a series of locking-combs D forengagement with lugs r on the pins P. These combs correspond in numbertothe rows of pins and are secured to the under side of the plate 1? bymeans of screws 8 and are slotted at s to permit motion. A series ofteeth t project therefrom and are held against the pins P by means ofsprings u, and when a key is pressed down the tooth t, that is restingagainst its pin, will drop into thelngs 1" of the latter and hold itdown. A bell-crank lever w is pivoted to the standard B, the long arm 10of which extends forward and projects through an aperture in thestandard and terminates in a foot that rests in the path of a stud :20.

The short arm of said lever carries a rod y,

that is yoked to anothersimilar short arm which has its bearings in anear p that depends upon the plate P. The aforesaid rod 1 is at rightangles to the combs, which are turned down at the ends in the path ofthe former. The locking mechanism of the keys having been described,itis obvious that when the hand-lever O is pulled the stud so will raisethe arm Q02 of the bell-crank lever w and rock the rod g, which willengage the downturned ends of any combs that have moved forward andwithdraw the latter from the lugs r of the keys which shoot upward tothe level of those not in use. Fast to the shaft D at its inner end is aspur-wheel a which meshes with a similar wheel a fast on thefigure-holder shaft X. An arm is also secured to this shaft adjacent tothe first of the figure-holders F, having a pin 0 projecting through theentire series of said holders, the latter'being cut away to form radialslots (Z which extend the distance of the travel of holders, the normalposition of the pin 0 being at the bottom of the slots, so that allholders are free to rotate when released for printing; but when thelever C is pulled down to retract the holders F it will through thespur-wheel (t rotate the wheel a in the opposite direction, togetherwith its shaft and arm 11 which will pick up the holders that have beenused and carry them back to normal simultaneously with the holders F atthe other end of the machine.

As best illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the type-blocks areprovided with shoulders e of the same width in cross-section, but atdifferent elevations, or, in other words, they are stepped off in theopposite direction from the grooves or steps which are engaged by thecarrier A". These shoulders e are for the purpose of preventing theoverthrow of the type-blocks when carried to their respective holders,the latter having these slots cut away or increased in width tocorrespond to the shoulders 6 each shoulder being of a different heightto correspond to the shoulders upon its type-back, those of the holdernext to the one farthest from the printing-bed Q being the lowest, sothat it will pass freely through all preceding slots and abut the lastholder, the type of which, as in the case of the carrier-grooves, has noshoulder e but are slotted by an annular rib f upon the side standard B,which is cut away at the bottom a sufficient width to admit the finger Sof the push-rod Q. The type-slots G are also reduced at the periphery ofthe disks to form a track g on which the type-blocks slide, a groove71.3 being cut in the latter to keep them vertically rigid within theholders.

By referring to the diagram view Fig. 15 of the drawings it will be seenthere are ten holders F, eight of which have the combinations oftype-blocks of the denomination from one dollar to nine hundred andninety-nine thousand, inclusive, in words which I have designated ascharacters, and two holders with type-block combinations ranging fromnaught to ninety-nine cents in figures, they being nearest the type-bedQ, while to the right are a group of eight holders F, the space betweenthe two sets of holders being for the type-bed. (Not shown in thediagram.) This last-named group of holders have the amounts in figurespermanently secured to their peripheries to correspond to thecharacter-holders and, as previously described, are actuated bya systemof keys and levers N N so as to set up the amount desired in words andfigures simultaneously with one operation of the keys; but in someinstances it occurs that the written amount may be in one word, while itwill require more than one figure to represent it, or, in other words,it will become necessary to move two figure-holders to one of thecharacter-holders. To overcome this obstacle, the lever N, whichcontrols the dollarholder,in place of being permanently attached to itsbolt 1 has a pull-pawl 2' fast to a studj trunnioned at its end forengagement with a tooth 75 upon its bolt 1, and is normally held in thisposition by a light spring 6 upon the opposite side of the lever N. Apull-pawl m is also fast to the studj and projects downward and in thepath of a tooth n on the bolt 1 of the next disk F to the left of whichare the amounts in dollars, from ten to nineteen, or ten blocks of typein place of nine. The next holder, which runs from twenty to ninety, has

only eight blocks, and like the dollar is normally connected to itslever N through a pawl 0 having its stud p trunnioning in said lever,with a push-pawl g secured to thestud at its opposite end. This pawl isalso in the path of the tooth n of the bolt which controls the disk Fand by the above arrangement it will be seen that the latter holder hasno lever or key to operate it, but is actuated entirely through thedollars and tens-of-dollars keys, so that should, for example, theamount thirteen dollars be required the keyboard, which shows eightlines of keys running from one to nine and numbered accordingly, willshow the operator at a glance that the first two lines are cents, thenext line dollars, tens, hundreds, &e., and to get thirteen he muststrike two keys-the first key 7' in the tens-bank,which would give himten dollars, and the third key in the dollarbank, making thirteen. Thepin P of key r is of greater width than the others in the tensline andhas a bevel 5 at its lower end, and when depressed its first movementwill cause the beveled portion to force outward a tongue t which is heldagainst the former by a spring w, the tongue at its outer end beingconnected to abar "0 that is pivoted between ears 10 projecting from theplate P, the tongue 10 being secured to the latter at its under side bymeans of screws passing through slots m Thus when the tongue moves outit swings the bar 72 out with it, which strikes two spring pieces 1 2respectively secured to the push-pawls 2' and disengages the pull-pawlsm o from their respective bolts 1 against the pressure of the springswhich held them. This movement throws the pawls m (1 into the path ofthe tooth n of bolt I, which controls disk F The nose of pawl g strikesthe tooth 12, and key r now completes its movement and strikes its leverN, moving it down one space and carrying with it down one space the bolt1 of holder F which revolves one space, bringing the ten at theprinting-point, the lever N in the meantime, through its correspondingarm at the other end of the machine having released the tensfigureholder and moved it one space, brings the figure l at the printingpoint.The key 0" is now locked,as previously described. The push-pawl m is onespace longer than that of pawl g and consequently when they are bothswung over to engage toot h 01 while pawl g catches it, pawl m movesover and rests against it. The movement of bar o having simplycompressed the spriug'piece 3 but when the bolt 1 is forced down asabove described, the tooth n drops past the nose of the pawl m thelatter snaps into place over the tooth and disengages its pull-pawl L'from its normal connection with the dollarbolt 1 of the dollar-holder,so that the next operation of pressing down the three keys in thedollar-row will move the bolt 1 of holder F down three more spaces,thereby bringing the type-block 18 at the point of discharge, and alsorevolving the dollar-figure holder F three spaces, which together withthe 1 previously moved, makes the amount thirteen 13 at theprinting-point, it being understood that bolts 1 not directly connectedto their levers N are held up by a spring 11 The holders Which run fromone thousand to nine hundred and ninety-nine have asimilarly-constructed shifting mechanism as that of the teens justdescribed, and between the first holder of the thousands, which runsfrom one to nine, and the hundreds-holder, that runs from one hundred tonine hundred, is a segmented holder F which has two type-blocks and oneemptyslot G, which normally stands at the printing-point like the otherholder, the two type-blocks having the words hundred and thousand uponthem. This segment is loosely mounted upon the shaftD and has norecovering-lug atits hub, but projecting therefrom is an arm a that islinked to a spring-controlled lever a pivoted in the ears upon the plateP, and has projections a at either side for engagement with a pair ofspring-controlled pins a which project through the upper casing andterminate in keys marked Hundred and Thousand. The pins (0 of these keysare locked by the combs of the other keys when pressed down, each ofwhich has a tooth a a at different elevations orone space apartforengagementwith the projections a and when any thousand from one toninety is required the key marked Thousand is first pressed down. Thisplaces the type of that denomination in front of the amount you desirewhen it is locked in position, and when the combs are actuated by therecover mechanism it is released with the other keys and will be drawnback to place by its spring a coming against a stop a To set up anamount between nine hundred and two thousand, with the exception of onethousand, the correct way,in place of writing one thousand threehundred, for example, would be to Write thirteen hundred. This is doneby first setting up the hundred type-block, and as the amountis over athousand we would press the keys to make up the amount by first bringingdown the ten and then the three, which would bring thirteen to theprinting-point, as in the case of dollars previously described. We wouldthen have the amount required ,which would read thirteen hundred.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a check-printing machine, a series of movable type-block holders,a plurality of type-blocks fitted into slots in the same, each of saidtype-holders having at least one more slot than type-block, means fornormally keeping the holder in register whereby the empty slots are inline, mechanism for independently moving said type-holders, whereby anyone of their type-blocks may be brought in register with the empty slotsof the typeholder in their normal position, a type-bed having a slottherein, in register with the empty line of slots in the holders andmeans for discharging the type-blocks into the empty bed-slot,substantially as set forth.

2. In a check-printing machine, a series of independent type-blockholders, a plurality of type-blocks fitted into slots in the same, eachof said type-holders having at least one more slot in number thantype-blocks, means for normally keeping a line of empty slots of theholders in register, mechanism for independently adjusting the aforesaidtype-holders, whereby any one of their type-blocks may be brought inregister with the empty slots of the holders that are in their normalposition, a type-bed, a slot in the latter in register with ICC the lineof slots in the holders and means for discharging the type-blocks fromthe holders into the printing-bed, another series of holders, aplurality of type permanently secured thereto, and means for connectingsaid holders to the aforesaid type-block holders whereby they aresimultaneously actuated, substantially as set forth.

3. In a check-printing machine, a series of independent revolubletype-block holders, a plurality of type-blocks of various numericaldenominations fitted into similar slots in the same, each of said typeholders having a greater number of slots than type-blocks, means fornormally keeping a line of empty slots of the holders in register, and amechanism for releasing said holders from their normal positionindependently whereby any one of their type-blocks is revolved inregister with the line of empty slots of the typeblocks in their normalposition, a type-bed having a slot similar to, and in register with theline of empty slots of the type-block holders when the latter are intheir. normal position, a push-rod adapted to be reciprocated through aline of empty slots of the type-holders, and a second series ofrevoluble figuretype holdershavingaplurality of type-figures securedthereto, each of which is connected to one of the revoluble type-blockcarriers, whereby when any one of the latter are released to bring atype-block of any desired denomination to the normal line of the emptyslots, the aforesaid type-holder will be simultaneously revolved andbring a like amount in figure to a predetermined point on the samehorizontal plane as the face of the type-block, a paper-carriage adaptedto be reciprocated under the type-bed, and figure-type, and aprinting-lever under the paper-carriage, substantially as set forth.

4. In a check-printing machine, two series of revoluble type-holders ata predetermined distance apart, one of said series carrying blocks ofadjustable type having Words of various numerical quantities upon theface thereof, and the other series of holders having the same numericalquantities in figures permanently secured thereto, means forsimultaneously actuating the type-holders,whereby the same numericalquantity in Words and figures are brought to a common printing-plane, atype-bed adjacent to the type-holders carrying the adjustabletype-block, and means for discharging the latter into the type-bed, apaper-carrier adapted to be reciprocated under the commonprinting-planeof the two series of type-holders,and means for impressing the type upona blank, substantially as set forth.

5. In a check-printing machine, two series of revoluble type-holders ata predetermined distance apart,one of said series having blocks of typeloosely fitted in slots therein, there being at least one more slot thantype-blocks, and a series of steps upon the type-holders correspondingto the type-slots, whereby the holder is checked in one direction atvarious distances, bolts arranged to oppose said steps and springs toactuate said holders in opposition to bolts, levers connected to thebolts, actuating-keys to the levers, mechanism for shifting certain ofthe levers whereby they engage different bolts, and another series oflever-arms connected to the aforesaid levers over the other series oftype-holders, a series of steps arranged upon the said type-holders,bolts in opposition to the steps and connected to the lever-arms wherebyboth series of holders are simultaneously actuated, springs arranged toactuate the last-named holders, and means for returning both series ofholders to their normal position simultaneously, a slotted type-bedadjacent to the first-named series of holders, a push-rod in the path ofthe slots, and at right angles thereto, and in line with the slottedtype-bed, whereby the blocks of the type in the latter are pushed intothe type-bed, a paper-carriage under the latter, and printing-stripsarranged under the carriage in line With the type-bed, and a a secondseries of type-holders, means for antomatically shifting the carriage ina longitudinal direction with relation to the type-bed and last-namedseries of type-holders, substantially as set forth.

6. In a check-printing machine, a series of movable type-block holders,a plurality of type-blocks of various numerical denominations fittedinto slots in the same, the firsttwo of said type-holdershavingtype-blocks of fractional denomination of currency fitted therein,the remainder of said type-holders being provided with a series of emptyslots, means for normally keeping the holders in register whereby theempty slots and zero type-blocks of the fractional-currency holders arein line, mechanism for independently moving said type-holders wherebyany one of their type may be brought into register with the empty slotsof the-type-holders in their normal position, a type-bed having a slottherein in register with the zero-blocks of the fractionalcurrency-typeholders and the empty line of slots of the other type-holders when saidholders are in their normal position, and means for discharging theirtype into the empty bedslot, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and Stateof Wisconsin, in thepresence of two witnesses;

FRANK H. OOTTRILL.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. YOUNG, JAS. A. RIGBY.

